


Good Lord, is Martin Becoming Some Sort of Spider Person?

by shella688



Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: (implied) - Freeform, (mostly), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Beholding!Jon, Canon Typical Spiders and Worms, Gratuitous Dismissal of Established Canon, Jon Pining, Jon and Martin Can't Communicate Normally, M/M, Martin Pining, Statement Fic, Web!Martin, at time of writing im up to MAG 143 so, thats just how it is sometimes, thinking abt canon jonmartin makes me said so i wrote this which didnt help, yep it's sad unacknowledged pining hour lads
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-12
Updated: 2019-10-12
Packaged: 2020-12-13 20:35:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 990
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21003782
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shella688/pseuds/shella688
Summary: Statement of Martin Blackwood regarding what didn't turn out to be "just an expression"....Whatever that means.Recorded direct from subject by Basira Hussain





	Good Lord, is Martin Becoming Some Sort of Spider Person?

**Author's Note:**

> This doesn't have an major spoilers and is set in an unspecified point during s3 purely because I didn't want to have to deal with That Misty Bastard aka Peter Lukas

There's silence, then an all too familiar **click**.  
  


"Look, Martin, are you _sure_ you want to do it like this? You don't want to, I don't know, talk to Jon instead? Like normal people do when they have something to say to someone?"

"It's fine, Basira. It's just a statement. Besides, you know how he can get about these things."

Basira makes a sound of acknowledgment, but doesn't seem entirely convinced.

"Please, just let me do this, alright? I really, really, don't want to hurt him. I don't know if he - I don't know if _I_ could live with myself if that happened."

"Okay fine. I mean - it's not like he's won't be watching this anyway. Statement of Martin Blackwood regarding?"

"Regarding what wasn't an expression after all."

She pauses.  
"Regarding something cryptic he refuses to talk about like a regular human. Statement taken direct from subject and recorded by Basira Hussain. Statement begins:"

"People don't like spiders. Yes, I know and water is wet, but they really don't. I don't think I ever understood why. Spider are actually really helpful! They eat insects, they're one of nature's best pest controllers, and most of them don't actually want to hurt you. So I've always found spiders alright. I guess it all seems kind of obvious now but -"

He laughs at an inside joke no-one else understands.

"Anyway, that stuff came more recently. Where it started - where it all _properly_ started I mean - was the Prentiss attack.

You were on the team that dealt with the aftermath, weren't you? So you saw the - the bodies. It'd be easy, I guess, to just lump the worms and spiders in together. They're both very similar, to anyone who doesn't know, and it's not like most people care about the distinction. But seeing all those... fleshy, wriggling bodies, squirming over and into each other, knowing nothing other than the desire to destroy all that's clean: I knew then that they were so very different.

Then the next day there was a spider on my desk. That doesn't seem important, what with everything else, but it was _looking_ right at me. And I... I understood it.

Not like Jon. I know we all joke about him having deep conversations with Admiral in his free time and everything, but it wasn't like that. It was something much deeper. Much _more_, I suppose, but not more-something. Just, more.

I saw spiders everywhere after that. And I was convinced that every one was there for me. It was oddly comforting, actually, to know there's at least something on your side. Watching out for you."

Martin sighs heavily. Some of these memories he really doesn't want to relive. But he carries on.

"After the attack, Jon got really distant. No don't look like that Basira, it was... it was bad. I didn't have anyone - after all, Jon had his problems, Tim was no help as per usual and Sasha- wasn't. So, I turned to the spiders. It was the sense of security at first, that got me. She makes you feel like you're in control of it all, like even the most insignificant person will play a role in the greater plan. It's the greatest thing I've felt, all that _power_.

Sorry, I swear I'm not trying to convert you. Although...?

No, no you're right, this is just my statement.

Power is addictive. You must know that, being ex-police and all. I was greedy, sure. I - I hurt people, trying to get more. Hell, when the table was first delivered, I even considered it an interlocutor. I thought it wanted to manipulate me! Even though we serve the same -

Well. You know.

I wish I could have stopped him destroying it. But I didn't know what I know now. I couldn't _do_ what I can do now. Even so, with every strike of that axe I could hear Her scream and scream.

I swore, then, to be better. This is, this is where it gets all _ooooo_. But I never once found it unusual, or like I was pressured into something. I want you to understand this, Basira. Everything was, and is still, entirely my choice.

Do you know about the threads, connecting all of us here in one big web? I can see them, you know. And all I wanted was to keep everyone the way they should be. Here. _Safe_.

I don't want to trap anyone! I never have! I'm not some sort of spider-Elias, or a- another puppeteer. I just want to control things. She would ensure that the people I care about, the people that- that I love are safe! Is that irrational, Basira? What other choice did I have?"

Martin's shouting but the volume does nothing to disguise the tears in his voice. He takes a deep, shuddering breath before continuing; his voice close to breaking.

"She understood me. She knew exactly what I need, and She made it so I could keep all of you here, safe, with me. She turned me into this, and I'll never stop being grateful for it."

There's a moment before Basira responds, and she's hesistant when she does.

"What's 'this'? What happened to you, Martin?"

And then she yells in horror, the sharp clatter of her chair against the ground stark in Martin's silence.

"I only ever wanted to protect you all!" cries the thing that is not Martin Blackwood, and hasn't been for a long, long time.  
  


Another **click**, more silence.  
  


The Archivist hesitates before speaking, the shock bringing his thoughts to a slow, shuddering stop. For a moment, the only sound comes from his heavy breathing.

"God Martin I'm... I-"

It's difficult to hear his words, muffled as they are by sobs.

"Martin, I'm so, sorry. Why didn't- why couldn't I see this coming? I let you go and now-  
Oh God.  
And if- no. It can't be too late. Martin I... I lo-"

**click**


End file.
